Circuit-closer for vehicle-signals



' R J. LYMAN.

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR VEh'lCLE SIGNALS.

AF'PLICATION FILED APR. 1, 19111.

1 3 3 1 O l 9 I Parental Feb. 1?, 1920.

HJVENTOR QWwJzmzI/r ATTORNEY Ihll llhlD STATES RICHARD J EVV ELL LYMAN, F KAPOHO, PUNAL, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

ci'nc'orr-cnosnn non VEHICLE-SIGNALS.

Specification of Lettersliatenti meme rel. it, rose.

Application filed April 1, 1918. Serial No. 226,054.

audible signal thereon will be sounded whenever the steering wheels are turned .a predetermined distance to either right or left. W

The invention produces an automatic signal mechanism for motor vehicles whereby a signal such as a horn is sounded each time the driver changes his course from a straightpath, thus iving Warning to pedestrians and others w 0 are not directly ahead of this machine of his intention to turn to.

the right or left.

Details of the preferred embodiment of my invention will be found in the following specification, reference being made to the drawings, wherein:

36 Figure 1 is'a side elevation oi the front portion of a machine with this invention applied,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section bn the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and a diagram of the electric Wiring,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the yoke whose arms constitute one terminal, Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the collar and fingers which constitute the other terminal.

1- have designated the-ordinary parts of A an automobile by letters. H is the hood forward of the dash, A an audible signal or any appropriate character such as a horn driven 15 or sounded by an electric motor contained therein, T the fixed steering tube, R the steering rod extendingtherethrough and carrying the wheel W' at its upper end, B is a hatteiy or other source of electric'lpower, P is apush button, and Se switc No novelty is claimed for these seveial instrumentalities; most of which are mounted on the dash D or the frame F of an ordinary motor vehicle. Coming now to the invention itself. the

pumeral'l. designates a metallic collar secured around the steering rod R by suitable means such as a screw 2 and maintained out of contact with said rod by insulation as indicated at 3,,and 4, 4 are fingers hingso edly mounted at 5 on the sides of this collar and pressed normally apart by a spring 6 interposed between them so that they stand ordinarily in the osition best seen in Fig. 2. lhe spring 6 is Xed intermediate its ends so upon the collar 1 by a drop or two oisolder as shown at 6 whereby the spring will be held against shifting, whereby it will constitute a yieldable support for the lingers it. A wire 7 leads from the collar 1 to the we switch or circuit breaker S, and from this point another wire 8 leads to the battery B.

The numeral 11 designates a plate socured in any suitable manner IHPOII the frame F- as by screws 12, and 1 insulated 7: therefrom as at 13, and rising from this. plate is a yoke consisting of arms, 14, 1stpreferabl curved as best seen at Fig. 2 and stan ing just outside the "fingers e. A. ire 17 le'ads'frozn the base plate to the so horn or other signal A, and from the lii-tter a wire 18 leads to the other side of the battery B. A shunt circuit 19 may lead fromthe two wires 7 and 17 to a push button so that pressure on the latter has the sarneofi effect as contact of the terminals described below, and this avill give the operate: the

privilege of sounding his alarm manuall while the: machine is progressing straigat ahead. When the switch S is open, the alarm is of course cut out. i

With this construction, the operation is follows Whenever the driver manipulates the wheel W and turns the steering rod R-to no such an extent that the steering Wheels turned aside more than say 26, the oscillation of ithe rod R carrying with it the collar l throws one finger or the other into contact with the contiguous arm of the ice yoke. The tip of the linger strikes the dished inner face of this arm and moves down the same, the finger yielding as the spring (5 permits. There is thus produced awiping contact between the tip of the linger 10c and the inner face of the arm, and a cireuit is closed so that the alarm is sounded, and this alarm continues sounding so long; as the steering wheels are deflected to the extent suggested or to whatever extent produces illo an alarm-according to the disposition of the arms 14. Therefore any pedestrian or other Meanwhile if the shunt circuit and push button P are employed, the driver may at any time sound the same signal irrespective of the action of the automatic circuit closer. I do not wish to be limited to details of construction further than as set forth below.

What is claimed as new is:- 1. In a circuit closer of the type described,

'the combination with a collar adapted for insulated attachment to an oscillating shaft and adapted to be connected with one side of a circuit containing an alarm and a source of electric energy, outwardly divergent fingers hingedly mounted on said collar, and a spring fixed upon said collar and yieldably engaging said fingers: of a yoke adapted for insulated attachment to a fixed support beneath said shaft and adapted to be connected with the other side of said circuit, the arms of the yoke divergin from each other on curved lines and stan ing in the path of movement of the tips of said fingers, for the purpose set forth.

In a circuit closer of the type described, the combination with a collar adapted for insulated. attachment to an oscillating shaft and adapted to be connected. with one side of a circuit containing an alarnr and a. source of electric energy, fingers hinged at their inner ends to opposite sides of the collar and diverging outwardly, and an expansive spring fixed upon said collar and yieldablv engaging said fingers; of a yoke carried by and insulated from a fixed support and adapted to be connected with the other side of said circuit, the arms of the yoke standing in the path of movement of the tips of said fingers, for the purpose set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of twowvitnesses,

RICHARD JIGWELL Witnesses:

Mrs. Hinsnr J. LYMAN, J EANNETTE LYONS. 

